The Sunday herald., 1887-01-23
LITERARY NOTES.

LITERARY NOTES.
"service Anoat; or, the Relilarkahe Career Of the
Confederate Cruisers, Sumter and Alabama, is the
nrst account which Capt Raphael Semmes has given
to the public of his daring adventures, although
previous unauthorized accounts have been at
tempted 1t Is Issued In handsome form Baltimore
Publishing Coy as a volume having over eight hun.
dred pages aud illustrated with portraits engraved
on steel and ak engravings printed in tints. SO
much can be said unreservedy In praise OF and of
the interest which attaches to the subject. What
the author should have had, though II Is evident
merely from looking at his portrait he does not
know this, was julicious friend who would go over
his pages and with firm hand strike out every trace
of profanity, and still more all abuse of those who
were the authors opponents during the war, so
thoroughly unworthy Of brave sailor, and one VINO
ought to be reconuiled to new order of affairs As
navigator and commander, Semmea ia entitled to
admiration, aud hls book inll OF valuable material;
yndictive, and lacking In good taste to the
last degree, in one word, abom,nabe. 1t
is simply q wonder that the two characters
can coexist in one person. remembering IN what a
different tone Grant and Lee, for example, wrote
about times. after years Of peace. Failing such
friend as above suggested, the best recourse of
the general reader will be to use the noble art of
skipping, or bring his own blue pencil into play.
BY so doing. the volume will be somewhat short
ened hut like the books OF the Sbyl 1t will be more
valuable For ultra sympathzers with the Southern
cause OF course, no such caution is needed. It Is
quite a study In maritime lore and the practical
al least. are made quite plain lrst that the Alabama
was much more OF British than American enter
prise; and second, that sl5,000,000 was very in
adequate sum for Great Britain TO pay for this
treacherous attack upon American commerce.
There is considerable discussion of ocean pheno-
mena, geographical description. and other scientific
| knowledge displayed. (From II. w. Bolton, 635
street, general aRent)
The frontispiece OF the New Years Vide AtrdEe,
"The PigeoI-Tower OF Grandva," will at once
attract readers to the very interesting article by the
artist Mr. Henry Bacon, entitled Tne Doves OF the
French Revolution" most quaint contribution 10
historic knowledge. charming feature Is the long
Christmas story by Sarah Orne Jewet, "The Christ
| mas Guest" and notable feature is the second
paper of the "Longfcllow literature" promised for
this year-"An Old House, which describes the
| old LoDgfeow home iu Portland, and Is fully illus
| trated by drawings and photographs. choice
| piece OF biographical work is Mrs. Bottoms article
IN her "successful Women series about Miss Mary
| l.. Booth, the editor of Harpey'S BakoT. Mrs. Jes
sic Benton Fremont, in "Talry and Buster, H." de.
scrbes all entertainment by children to raise money
| Civil War. Mrs. Davis, in her series "ln War
Times at La Rose Blanche. chronicles the devotion
Of little colored boy to ms master under the tile
War. In "Fairy Folk ALP Miss Quincy writes
about FAIRY Monarchs" Mrs. sporord's series
Johnson In Uttoxeter Market" The serials are
excellent: "Romulus and Remus," by Charles X
BY Fred 4. ober is romantic adventure. "a Young
Prince OF Commerce" by selien X. Hopkins, IS !
business boys story. and "Iowling Wolf and His
| rricS-Pony' Is story of our modern Indians. Mrs
| A. ID. T. Whitney, Mrs. Harriet Prescott SpoIord
Kate Putnam osgood, and Edith NJ. Thomas con
delightful bits OF humorous verse by II. H. Hudson
Lucy ~. Blinn, Mary C. Bell, and Loriise V. Boyd
rhe new department, "Tae Contrioutors and tn tn
smith" by Miss Quincy, "The Care OF the Hands,
by Mrs. Sherwood, "Geting Things Done by saral
o. Jewet, "a study in Natural History" by q. w
Conant. and "waiting on the Boys,r by France
A. Humphrey. d. Lolsrop h Co publishers
The PdN Mall Gazette, In reviewing the "Memolr
Of Gen. Robert E. Lee, his Military and Persona
History" by Gen. A. l.. Long, which has Just ap
peared In London, refers to Lees character In
tone OF lofty adulatlon. mo bographer," it says
sever had a npbler subject Robert Lee had
character all but nawless he was a real king u
men, spoiless In ms hlsh,souled integrity, born
fortune, as grandy calm In adversely; the shinin
hgure In word, Of the stupendous struggle tina
evoked the full development OF his specis
geniusn In closing the notice 1t adds: "lIe fouyt
out the good light, and then, with noble dignity @
resignation, om, went & out INTO & retirement which
had been his life, and his name will endure Will
grandeur of soul, purity OF character, devoted pa
trotism, and chvalry Of the finest type are virtue
valued by mankind.n
The New orleans Times Democrat devotes o co
umn and half OF gh-pitched editorial praise :
the novel OF "rowardB the Gulf' recently publishe
by the Harpers. The story Is pronounced by th
authority to be the most powerful that any Souther
writer, without exception, has yet produced, and a
ter attributing i's authorship to lady of New o.
leans the critic closes his pnan of admiration In th
characteristic fashion: srhere are certainly page
that suggest Cable, hut II Cable had written II h
would nave written something compared wit
Y | which all MS previous creations were feeble"
a Miss Georgia Cayvan, the actress, has written
most interesting article for the February Brookii
I Magazine on "YOung Women and the Stage
The paper, which Is Miss Cayvan's Irst literal
wise young girls TO adopt the stage As profession
The BROOKLYN Magazine has deferred It's chanl
D OF name to the american Magazine until April /
In order that the publishers may have suitable tin
| for properly developing the many plans necessar
to the successful launching OF a highclass illu
. trated magazine.
"Adyance!" Frank Gassaway q last poem -printt
! In another cOlumn--will take rank and go down
"Fane's eternal camping ground" 80 to speak, VII
such poems 40 Col. o. 'Haras "BlvOuac OF the Dead
| Whitters "Barbara Frietchie,n Buchanan Read
| ''Sherdan's Ride" and his own "Prde OF Bate
BIZ II Ia the best poem yet written by this brllia
| young author. The intensely dramatic incide
upon which II Is based IL born OF the genius Of h
great agina ilOn-an imagination OF such greatly
power for thrilling situations as is only egunled
That OF Edgar Allan Poe.
Congressman s. s. Cox hopes to publish In Il
c spring a book entitled "The Diversions OF Dipl
: mat" large part OF which was written while
7 was In Turkey. 1t Is a description OF his life
b | COnstantinope and among the Turks and Greeks
4 the Island OF Prlnsipo, where he passed summe
| Mr. Cox owned steam launch IN Turkey which
, called the Sunset.